The Flawed Creation and The Failed Creator
by chaostition
Summary: Vexen's failure may be his greatest accomplishment. Yet, no one else sees Eighteen this way. Completed on Sleep Deprivation.
1. Knowledge

Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing. I don't even own the type of nothing Nobodies are made out of… Not a pairing by any means.

* * *

_zzz…th-th-tink_

Vexen yawned as the lights flickered on in his radiant lab. Each piece of equipment was glinting in the artificial light. The Academic rubbed his eyes as he entered a code on an invisible keypad. The buttons that never were blinked with his touch, flashing once his code had been entered.

The wall the code was entered upon began to lift, revealing glass columns with some sort of greenish fluid in them. Twenty of them, all having some sort of dark figure floating in each, lit from behind. Each of the figures had a distinct human form, tube and wires coming from them, keeping them alive.

Vexen did a quick once over of the incubators, before he sat down at his desk. He had little sleep last night, for his work and what ever that was left of his existence was on the line. Xemnas told him that he needed a result on the replication experiments today, or Vexen had no place in the Organization.

Vexen typed a few commands in on the computer, and quickly turned away from the replica's incubators. He clasped his hands together and pressed them to his lips, contemplating on his act. The metaphorical umbilical cord has been cut on his replicas… possibly too early for Vexen.

All his research told him, that if they could have just another day or two, they would all succeed. Alas, Vexen could not persuade the impatient Superior for just a little more time.

Vexen's hopes began to fall as the monitors that had been beeping steadily became erratic and then stopped all together. He turned back to the computer, cursing his luck. A few more commands were typed and a sinister black liquid began to mix with Incubator One, and then Two, and so on.

Vexen's weary eyes darted to a monitor that had came back online, the beeping was too fast to last much longer.

A muffled thumping came from one of the incubators. The figure inside was trying to beat its way out. Vexen stood, panic gracing the edges of his memory. The other's were as good as dead, but to kill the one in Incubator Eighteen while it was still alive was a crime.

Vexen knew there was no stopping the toxic liquid that was now entering Incubator Nine. He acted without thinking, a condemnable act under normal circumstances. He took the chair he was previously sitting in and ran over to the incubator. With a vicious cry, Vexen slammed the chair into the incubator, causing the green liquid to flood upon the floor, the figure being carried with it.

Vexen watched as the black chemical fall and bead in the air, only to hit the metal below it. Vexen turned to the figure, broken wires coming off its skin and tubes spilling from it. It coughed and shuddered on the floor of the cold lab.

Vexen made his way carefully across the now soiled lab floor, and was taken aback by the figure shivering on his lab floor. This was supposed to be his replica, albeit younger than he was. But this replica was distinctly _female_.

How it happened, Vexen would not know. The young woman was curled into a ball, her long blond hair glinting green from the incubator's liquid. Vexen stepped forward, and lost his footing. He braced his arms for the fall, and was rewarded with a shard of glass in his hand. He hissed out another curse and pried it free.

The woman's head twisted around and her borrowed emerald eyes shot open. She looked him over and curled up even more.

Vexen, on the other hand, could not stop looking at her eyes… more accurately, his eyes. It was as if he was looking in some sort of mirror… everything was the same and yet contorted into a different picture.

Out of pure curiosity, Vexen ungloved his hands, blood dripping and mixing with the liquid. His lanky fingers reached out and touched the girl's bicep. Her skin, still damp, was soft and smooth under the Chilly Academic's fingers. He looked back to the girl's eyes, which went wide at the touch.

Vexen slid his hands under the girl, picking her up and carrying her to the infirmary beds. He set her down on the nearest one, and she curled back into her ball. Vexen covered her with the sheets at the foot of the bed, and a few more thick blankets for good measure. Her shuddering stopped and she pulled the blankets closer to her skin.

She smiled in comfort and opened her eyes again. She looked at her creator with that smile reflecting in her eyes.

"Sleep," Vexen commanded as he clasped his gloves tightly in his bleeding hand, "and you'll understand."

Her lids fell heavy and she drifted into a strange sleep by any means.

* * *

She dreamed of knowledge. She dreamt first of things like the alphabet and how to read, how to tie a shoe and zip a zipper. Simple mundane things that the average person takes for granted.

Then she dreamed of more complex things. There were flashes of script of the highest importance, equations and algorithms that would confuse even the most educated scholar, bonding structures of almost all the known compounds, and even of highly advanced chess strategies.

Not once did she question this knowledge, for the subconscious knows not of skepticism, but only acceptance.

* * *

Her eyes fluttered open to an empty infirmary. She yawned and sat up, a shiver running down her still bare spine. She looked around and saw no sign of her creator. She did however find a set of clothes lying on the bedside table. A pair of pants, tank top, and a cloak like her creator was wearing earlier was all on top of a very nondescript pair of white panties. In the floor was a pair of boots about the correct size for her. She began to get dressed.

She entered the lab from the doors she had passed from earlier in Vexen's arms. She saw him asleep at his desk and quietly walked to him. She tapped him on his shoulder to wake him.

He groaned something about five more minutes when she shook his shoulders. He jerked up and rubbed his eyes. He looked to his computer screen, whose screensaver read out the time… it was late.

"Damn it!" Vexen muttered, and clasped his hand around her small wrist. He quickly opened up a corridor of darkness and they ran through it.

They stood before The Superior who was furiously writing something. Vexen made a pointed cough to alert Xemnas of their arrival. The Superior nodded. Vexen spoke, "Sir, I have my… result."

Xemnas stopped writing, "Only one? I thought you had made at least twenty trials."

"Yes, sir," Vexen wrung his hands behind his back, "but only one had survived the sudden transition from assisted life to hindered life."

Xemnas looked first to his Number IV and then to the creation standing beside him. At first Xemnas' face twisted into confusion, and then anger.

Xemnas snarled at Vexen, "This is no result. This is a failure!"

"Failure is still a result!" Vexen defended his creation, "This is a result showing that the replicas need more time!"

"Time for what?" Xemnas stood and slammed his hands on his desk. "For tests that will show us nothing? Tell me, Number IV, why isn't this little… _heathen _a failure?"

"She is breathing! She is standing before you!" Vexen bellowed. "While all the others are being destroyed, she is here to present her self!"

Xemnas' attention turned to the girl, a malicious smile gracing his lips, "Why don't I ask _it_? Hmm? Are you a failure, _thing_?"

The girl shook her head and backed away.

"Stay where you are!" Xemnas barked out the order and the replica listened. "Such a sad response! Tell me why you are not a failure."

The girl opened her mouth to speak, but she only let out a mangled squeal. She clasped her hands around her throat and looked at Vexen.

"Seems the thing cannot speak for itself," Xemnas scoffed. "Vexen, destroy it."

The girl clasped her hands over her mouth as Vexen stepped in front of her, "I cannot do that, _sir_."

"That is an order," Xemnas held one of his Aerial Blades at the ready, "and you shall follow it."

Vexen summoned his shield, "It seems like the one order I'll have to defy."

In one fluid movement, Vexen pushed the girl to the wall as he blocked the Superior's blow from above. Vexen was pressed to the wall behind him. The Superior summoned his other blade and held it over the shield, dangerously close to The Academic.

Xemnas was knocked into the adjacent wall by a flurry of snow and ice. Vexen looked curiously to Xemnas and then to his creation. She held her (ungloved) hands out and had lines of frost crisscrossing her palms and neck. The lines faded slowly as she stepped between Vexen and Xemnas, arms outstretched in a defending gesture.

"How 'heartwarming'!" Xemnas laughed and dismissed his weapons. "The creation is protecting the creator! I guess this could be defined by self preservation, perhaps?"

The girl made a horrid attempt at a snarl as he laughed.

"Pity that all of your audacity was channeled into a fluke, Vexen," Xemnas brushed the ice off his cloak. "I guess she has proven herself tonight, and may stay to aid the replication process. Afterwards, she must be done away with."

Vexen licked his lips as he dismissed his shield. This was the closest he was going to get to a 'Sure, she can stay' from him. "Understood, sir."

"If I find that your next trials are just another batch of screw-ups, Number IV, your days will be numbered," Xemnas dismissed them and they disappeared without a word.

* * *

Back in the lab, Vexen paced the floor. He was in a thinking frenzy that would not likely be stopped.

Vexen broke out of his trance when he heard a knocking, not from the door, but the whiteboard. '_I'm sorry.'_ She had written out in blue in Vexen's undeniable messy handwriting.

"Oh!" Vexen was taken aback once again by the girl, "It's not your fault… It's just… ah, I can't really explain it."

'_I'm not really supposed to exist, huh?'_ She scrawled out again with her left hand.

"In all honesty," Vexen smirked, "Neither am I."

The girl began to tap her lips with her right index finger.

"Don't think about it too much right now," Vexen shook his head. "Just sleep… and you'll understand even more."

* * *

A/N: Huzzah for sick days! I was at home, sick and got this random idea. Love it? Like it? Hate it? Ahh whatever…

I had that random dream thingy today, under the influence of a fever... yeah... I really wished I could remember it.

The Chapter title is from _Knowledge_ by The Age of Information. There may be a pattern forming there so look out for more chapters with The Age of Information song titles. Go listen to them if you can.

That's all I got now so have fun!

LUV's from Khaos


	2. Soma

"_Psst! Xigbar! Come here!"_

Vexen was calling out to the Free Shooter, and waving him over. Xigbar immediately teleported into the Lab, "What's up, my main science man?"

"Does anyone else know you're here?" Vexen asked as he shut the door behind him.

"That's a negative, dude." Xigbar said, "I was about to go inform Mr. High and Mighty that I was back."

"Good," Vexen smirked, "I have a favor to ask of you…"

"Okay, that smirk usually means impending doom, so…" Xigbar pretended to think it over, "Yeeeaaa—NO!"

Xigbar turned on his heel to make a break for it but Vexen caught him be the shoulder, "You _OWE_ me… remember? Or should I tell Lexaeus about the time his results he had been working on for weeks had just up and 'walked away?' Hmm? I'm sure he'll enjoy that story, considering that he looked like a complete fool in front of—"

"Okay! I get it damn it!" Xigbar stomped his foot in anger, "What do I gotta do?"

* * *

_Heartless… Keyblades… Other Worlds… Nobodies… Organization XIII…_

_Kingdom Hearts_

The girl awoke with a start. Dreaming of darkness never was a pleasant thing. All the girl knew was knowledge and the light that came with it. She never wanted to know that it was that same very knowledge that drove some into darkness.

As she was putting her boots on, she couldn't help but think about the man that was her creator and his role in the falling of many worlds… did she share that fault?

She rubbed her eyes and walked sleepily into the lab, and froze still when she saw the salt and pepper haired man caught by her creator. Would she have to fight?

"All you have to do," Vexen patted Xigbar's shoulder, "is watch her while I go out on Xemnas' cockamamie mission."

"For real man?" Xigbar laughed, "Aww, this is going to be too easy! What's her name?"

The girl's expression went from defensive to sad when Vexen told him she didn't have a name.

"Dude!" Xigbar scolded, "All the new Nobodies have got to have a name! Mr. Superior-Pants said so!"

"You see," Vexen pinched the bridge of his nose, "She isn't really 'new' per say. She's a replica."

"Oh, you working with that stuff again?" Xigbar smiled and looked at the girl closely, "Well… whose is… it…"

Xigbar's eye darted from the creation, to Vexen, and back again many times. "Oh, dear Lord, MAN!" Xigbar buried his face in his hands and shook his head, "Explain to me why your _replica_ is a freaking CHICK!!"

"It was an accident!" Vexen's palm met Xigbar's skull with a hollow _thwack_, "Now I just need you to keep her out of trouble, and away from anyone else, _comprende?_"

"Sure dude!" Xigbar gave Vexen a thumb's up sign.

Vexen rolled his eyes and looked to the girl, who looked confused to say the least. Vexen smiled weakly and walked to her. He placed his hands on her shoulders, "This is Xigbar. He's gonna take care of you for a while. You can trust him."

The girl smiled gently. Vexen cut a quick glance to his colleague and then back to his creation, "But promise me you'll use your better judgment…"

The girl smiled wider and nodded her head. Vexen patted her shoulders and swiped a bag off of the counter, "I've got to tell Xemnas I'm leaving and then I'll be off to… oh where was it again? Ah, yes, Halloween Town."

"Kay! You have fun now!" Xigbar was pushing Vexen out the door, "Bye-Bye, Science Guy!"

Vexen was out in the halls when he realized his unfortunate paradox: the girl would be safer in the lab than the lab with Xigbar in it. Hopefully, Xigbar would become stir crazy and leave with her.

* * *

"Come on kid," Xigbar opened up a portal, "I got the munchies."

The girl just looked warily from the portal to The Freeshooter, trying to send a telepathic message along the lines of _I don't think that would be the smartest idea._

"Ah just go! It's not good to be in this lab for too long, even if you are a replica," Xigbar grabbed on to the girl's hood and dragged her through the portal.

* * *

Unfortunately, they were not alone in the Kitchen Where Nothing Was Cooked. "Yo, Red!" Xigbar had snuck up behind the poor soul and took the sandwich he had just finished making.

"Just because I'm the new guy around here doesn't give you any right to take my food!" The red head spun around and pointed an accusing finger at Xigbar.

"On the contrary," Xigbar took a big bite of the sandwich, "yes, it does."

"Hey, it's the first time I've seen you around," the red head turned his attention to the girl, "My name's Axel. Commit it to memory."

The girl nodded and shook his outstretched hand. He shook his head, "You see, when someone does that, you usually give your name in return."

"Vexen said she didn't have a name," Xigbar said as he finished off the sandwich. "We could always call her 'Li'l Vex' since she's a replica."

"I thought that Vexen was a guy!" Axel said wide eyed. Poor thing…

"He is," Xigbar smirked, "but the replication process seems far from perfect, eh?"

Axel sighed, "Well, I'm not gonna call her 'Li'l Vex' or 'Replica' so we need to make her up a name."

"I dunno, man," Xigbar scratched the side of his nose, "if Vexen hasn't given her a name by now, he may not want her to have a name."

"Whatever," Axel said. "She's standing here before us, and therefore needs to have a name. Now are you gonna argue with my logic or can I just name her already?"

"Go ahead, dude," Xigbar held his hands up in defeat. "But if Vexen gets mad at me, I'll tell him its all your fault."

"Agreed." Axel began to look over the girl, even circling around her for good measure, "You look like a… Kori."

The girl thought about the way the name sounded in her head. She nodded her head in agreement.

"See? She likes it!" Axel spun around quickly and grabbed a clean wooden spoon off the counter. He tapped the handle on each of her shoulders, "I hereby dub you 'Kori.' This shall be your moniker until your last day or if Vexen so chooses to take it away sooner…"

Kori smiled wildly. She was no longer 'Thing' or 'Hey, you!' She had a name, and she had hope.

"But dude," Xigbar started looking around suspiciously, "If anyone asks, you didn't see Kori at all man."

"My lips are sealed," Axel said with a wink in Kori's direction.

Xigbar opened another portal and dragged Kori through it, again. Kori sheepishly waved goodbye to Axel with a faint blush on her face.

* * *

On the other side of the portal was another world. "Welcome to Traverse Town, Kori," Xigbar laughed. "Something tells me we're gonna find a newbie here."

Kori wished she could ask why she was being dragged around in this town. "Keep an eye out for a brown haired kid with a giant key cause he's a bad sign," Xigbar ordered. "I would, but I don't have an eye to spare."

They walked and (he) talked for hours, searching in the quiet little town. They occasionally would get stares because of their peculiar attire, but a glare from Xigbar would send them on their way.

"Finally! Something interesting!" Xigbar pointed to a young sandy haired man running from a Heartless. "It sure is fun to watch them run."

The poor fellow tripped and hit the cobblestone streets hard. The Heartless was on him in seconds and ripped his heart out even faster. The Heartless went running off but the man's body stayed there. "We've got a live one!" Xigbar ran over to the man.

The blonde lifted himself to his knees and checked himself over, "I'm still alive?!"

"Yes and no, little dude." Xigbar lifted him to his feet, "You're breathing and thinking and therefore are technically alive. Any other way and it's a no."

"What?!" The blonde looked at Xigbar like he was crazy. Who knows? He might just be…

"You've been turned into a Nobody, dude," Xigbar sighed. "Consider yourself part of a fad before it becomes a fad, m'kay?"

"Am I gonna die?" The blonde stuttered.

"Only if you get on somebody's bad side," Xigbar stated, "Specifically Xemnas' bad side…

"Anywho, consider this an invitation to join this little club I'm in. We're Nobodies, too, and the whole purpose of the club is trying to get our hearts back, to become whole again."

"Okay…" The blonde looked at Xigbar like he was crazy again, "What do I gotta do to join?"

"Nothing," Xigbar patted the boy on his back, "We'll get you a new name, a weapon, and one of these here spiffy cloaks."

"I've already got a name and it's Myde, thank you!" The blonde named Myde crossed his arms.

"Not my rules, okay?" Xigbar sighed, "If this club was run by me, I'd be running around calling myself 'Danny the Avenger' or something, not Xigbar."

Xigbar conjured the letters in Myde's name and spun them around. "And the wheel 'o naming dubs you," Xigbar flung out his hand and made an X appear in the name, "Demyx."

"I was just a musician," Demyx sighed. "Why did I become this?"

"Ask yourself that when you end up sending some world into the Darkness," Xigbar shook his head. "We gotta find an inconspicuous place to portal outta here. Come on Kori… Kori?! Oh shit! Vexen's gonna kill me because I lost her!"

* * *

Xigbar's panic disappeared when he had found Kori beautifully playing a grand piano in a storefront.

"I don't think we can carry that back to the castle, kiddo," Xigbar said, "We don't have a place to put it."

"But I would recommend this," Demyx held up a keyboard to Kori, "The next best thing."

Kori examined it. Every key was there and accounted for, but Kori shook her head.

"It's okay. You play too beautifully not to have it. It's okay since this is…" Demyx corrected himself, "_was_ my store. I don't think invoices matter anymore."

Kori stroked the keys with her long fingers, playing a few chords that stayed silent.

"I'll get you the one in back," Demyx sat down the keyboard, "It's still in the box and comes with everything."

"Sweet kid," Xigbar commented after Demyx had left. "He kinda makes me wonder if what's truly good comes from someplace deeper than the heart."

* * *

A few minutes later, the three Nobodies had traversed another portal and were walking the rainy streets of The World That Never Was.

"Hey," Xigbar nudged Demyx, "will that thing be okay in the box since it's raining?"

Kori looked down to the box that held her new gift. The cardboard was getting squishy and the ink was running.

"It's raining?" Demyx looked to them confused. "I haven't felt a drop."

Xigbar gave him a funny look and Kori looked down at his feet. A nice neat circle was cleared out around Demyx, free of rain.

"Totally awesome, dude!" Xigbar punched the air, "You've got control over the weather!"

"Say what?" Demyx returned the funny look.

"In The Organization," Xigbar explained, "everyone has control over an element. You've got the weather, I think. So try and make this rain go away."

Demyx tried and all he could do is make his personal umbrella go wider. Kori had an idea and kicked some puddle water at Demyx.

"These are new shoes!" Demyx shouted as he directed the water to go elsewhere.

"Not the weather…" Xigbar said, "But water. Coolio."

Demyx played around with his element all the way to their destination.

"This is Memory's Skyscraper," Xigbar explained clearly_ amused_, "Or what I like to call 'The Storage Building That Houses Extra Junk Because Our Superior Has a Fetish with Nothingness.' Ooh, pretty neon lights… big T.V. screens that belong in the castle.. Ooh, Aah, we're going in now."

They climbed into an elevator and Xigbar pressed a button. They shot up at an amazing speed and they were climbing out dazed and confused. Xigbar smirked, "Fifth floor, ladies outerwear, sporting goods, long leather robes, and weird weapons."

They found Demyx a robe fairly quickly and gave him the rest of the uniform. They had made their way over to the assortment of staffs, swords, and other devices that should not be described here. "Since you were a musician," Xigbar held up a strange stringed device, "and this is the only thing that looks like a musical instrument, here you go."

"It's a sitar," Demyx said, "Not exactly what I was used to playing, but I'll learn."

"'Atta boy!" Xigbar gave him a thumbs up sign. "Now where's Kori?"

Kori was a few feet away plucking a string on a bow. She held it up to Xigbar with a slight pout.

"Oh, you want this?" Xigbar scratched the back of his neck, "It doesn't have any arrows, which makes no gosh darned sense."

Kori simply waved it off and Xigbar shrugged before picking up Kori's keyboard and opening another portal, "Alright, then."

* * *

Vexen entered his empty lab thoroughly reminded on why he loathed spiders so much. He set down his bag and was about to put his equipment away when he heard a piano playing in the infirmary.

His curiosity won when he entered the infirmary. He saw his creation playing the keyboard on her bed, whilst Xigbar and a guest with a sitar watched patiently. The sitar player noticed him first and nudged Xigbar, "Hey, Vexen, wanna know what we did today?"

Kori looked up to Vexen as Xigbar explained the events to Vexen. She noted that not once did he look mad or upset at what they done. If anything he looked very pleased.

"Now let's see this bow, Kori," Vexen smirked and sat on a neighboring bed.

Kori smiled when Vexen said her name. She twisted on her bed and pulled out the bluish-gray bow and posed like she was about to fire with it. She let go and the bowstring twanged.

"Oh! I thought you meant a hair bow!" Vexen was alarmed, "But its _that_ bow… You do know, Kori, that it doesn't have any arrows."

"That's what I told her," Xigbar laughed, "but she still wanted it."

Kori held up her finger in a 'one minute' fashion. She closed her eyes and concentrated and moved her left hand in a horizontal line across her body. She opened her eyes and marveled at her creation: an ice arrow.

"Fascinating," Vexen murmured when he took it away from Kori. He held it up to the light and watched it glint. "Absolutely fascinating…"

"Hey!" Xigbar shouted, "Uncle Xiggy can teach her how to shoot! I did used to be an archer, you know?"

Vexen handed the arrow back to Kori and raised his eyebrow, "_Uncle_ Xiggy? Elaborate, please."

Xigbar took a deep breath, "Well since she's your replica that would make her like your daughter, right? And us first six are so tight, man, like brothers you know and then that would make Kori here my neice."

"And what would that make you," Vexen shifted his gaze to Demyx, who looked terrified at this point, "soon-to-be Number IX?"

Demyx swallowed and squeaked out, "A friendly neighbor?"

* * *

A/N: Bad Xigbar! Kicking Vexen out of his own story! Go to the corner! –is shot by Uncle Xiggy-

What can I say? Writing as Xigbar was fun. And Xigbar does seem like the cool uncle I never had because all my uncles are old… Yeah, I'm gonna start a new fad like that… It shall be called the 'Xigbar is my Organization Uncle' fad!

I'm gonna stop that before I start a full blown revolution…

Don't ask about the 'Danny the Avenger' thing... don't know where that came from... It's Xigbar, he can get away with it! And Don't ask about the Ice Arrows... they just seemed cool, no pun intended.

This chapter title is brought to you by _Soma_ by The Age of Information. When you read 'Kori playing piano' from now on, this is the song I want you to hear. I've commanded it so and you must obey. Period.

Speaking of Kori, 'Kori' in Japanese means 'Ice.' Fitting, no? (Well, it can also mean 'high interest rate' in romaji but the kana's different.)

I'll give Vexen more parts next chapter… I hope, I'm just writing down one or two sentences for each chapter I want to write so I don't know how a chapter will turn out until I write it.

LUV's from Khaos


	3. Break Your Heart

"_Okay, you had to move my pieces around somehow, you little cheat!"_

The hulking man that sat before Kori ran his hands through his auburn hair. Kori sat there smug as the man tried to reformulate his chess strategy.

"Face it, Lexaeus," a short, slate-haired man said, intent on reading Vexen's newest scientific journal, "She's better than you… probably better than me, too, and I'm not too conceited to admit it."

"Thank you for stating the obvious, Zexion," Lexaeus cut him a sly look before turning to Kori. "Are you gonna call it or are you just going to watch my conniption for your entertainment?"

"I vote we should continue to watch," Zexion's shrewd comment was parried with a pawn to his forehead. "Don't throw chess pieces!"

"Especially in my lab!" Vexen called over his shoulder as he continued to work on an experiment. Kori tapped the chessboard twice, her sign for checkmate.

"Are you two done?" Vexen asked upon hearing the faint tapping, "Because we have work that needs to be done."

The men helped Kori put up the game and left with promises of returning tomorrow. Vexen sighed and put down the Erlenmeyer flask he was working with, "Lexaeus is too competitive for his own good with the morning chess games of yours."

Kori agreed with a nod, but couldn't help but think about Axel. He would always try to one up everyone, even though most of the time he would fail. Kori's thoughts often drifted to Axel if they had nothing better to do.

Kori was mindlessly gathering tubes and wires and whatnot when Xemnas entered the lab with his usual greeting, "Number IV and _thing_."

Kori scowled and bit her lip with her face turned from him. Xemnas had accepted, after she had acquired her bow and a few colleagues amongst the others, that it would be more trouble than it's worth to destroy her. Kori prayed to some deity above that she could have a voice for a few seconds to scream at Xemnas, "I have a name, damn it!" Kori caught herself and realized all the lovely habits she had picked up with "Uncle Xiggy's" archery lessons…

"Number II has told me that he has had to subdue a prospective member," Xemnas told Vexen after turning his gaze from Kori.

"Subdue?" Vexen questioned, "If he didn't want to join, why make him?"

"II said that he would be a great asset to The Organization," Xemnas shrugged. "And knowing the way II fights, you should be getting a place ready in the infirmary."

"Yes, sir," Vexen said with a slight bow and he began gathering up equipment he might need.

Xemnas gave Kori an icy glare before he left. Kori rolled her eyes and started catching the stuff Vexen was flinging over his shoulder.

Within minutes, Xigbar had arrived with a pink haired man, unconscious and flung over his shoulder. "His name's Marluxia… I think…"

"You can't even remember his _name_?" Vexen sneered, but he couldn't dwell on it any longer, for Xigbar dumped the body on to Vexen. Vexen's knees buckled under the weight.

"Whatever," Xigbar patted a confused Kori on the head, "Uncle Xiggy needs to lie down now…"

Xigbar left, but not before running into a lab table. "Kori, that is what we call a complete ass," Vexen sighed heavily. "Now please make sure I don't run into anything while I get… _this_ into that bed we set up."

* * *

Marluxia was bandaged up, and stabilized in no time under the care of Vexen. Vexen left Kori to her piano for him to return to his experiments. He was nearing a breakthrough with replication.

Kori lost track of the time, the steady beeping of Marluxia's vitals acting as her metronome. The notes were intricate as she hammered them out, not minding the hair that fell in her eyes. She slowed down and the beeping did also. She let the last notes play sweetly and softly.

She got up and cracked her knuckles. "Please play more," Marluxia murmured softly. "You're really good."

She tapped her knuckles and shook her hand. "Played 'till it hurt, huh?" Marluxia smirked, "Then please stay, I want the company."

Kori nodded and sat down at the foot of his bed. She smiled gently and he smiled back, "You're very pretty, you know that? What's your name?"

Kori took a pad of paper off the bedside table and scrawled her name out. Marluxia squinted, "Ku… Kori, oh okay. Can you talk, Kori?"

Kori shook her head no. "Oh…" Marluxia sighed, "Why not?"

Kori shrugged as she scratched out her response '_Born like this… an accident, really..'_

"An accident?" Marluxia sighed, "That you can't talk, or being born?"

Kori's thoughts stopped and she looked in Marluxia's icy blue eyes. She sighed when she saw something that she didn't like. She scrawled out one word, _'Both.'_

"That's what 'Trigger Happy' told me," Marluxia sighed and tossed the pad aside, "Said that I was a Nobody, and they weren't supposed to be born. He said that if I joined the club he was in that we would have a meaning then.

"I told him no and tried to kick his ass. I didn't know he had guns or that warpy-portally thing. I'm just glad that I fought with him in a bar, under the influence, or his aim may have been better and I would be a dead man… er… Nobody.

"So," Marluxia sniffed and shifted in bed, "you're wearing a cloak like him so I guess that you're a part of this club, too."

Kori nodded. Marluxia rubbed his eyes and yawned, "So what's your story?"

Kori picked up the pad and wrote, _'Tell me your story, while I write out mine.' _

Marluxia nodded and she started writing, "When someone tells you that they love you, they should mean it right? If they promise they'll be yours, they should keep that promise, or at least I think they should, but apparently _I'm_ the loony. They all thought that! Even my colleagues and the botany center.

"I found her with him and I just lost it. She screamed at me about how _I_ was the one who broke _her _heart, and that _I _was holding _her _down. Then he got involved, saying that _I _should have never treated a lady like that. Hah! A lady? More like a monster…

"I took the claw hammer off his tool belt and pried his eyes out. She tried to call the cops and I beat her face in.

"And let me tell you, it felt good, but that feeling was what let the Darkness into my heart and made me into this… thing. All I have is a memory now, but I don't mind it. It was worth it."

Kori acted like she was writing for the last few parts to hide her widening eyes. She assumed he was done and tossed him the pad. She stood up and held up one finger behind her as she entered the lab, signaling that she would be back. The doors shut behind her with a slam.

"She took it better than we thought," Marluxia smiled and read her note,

'_I'm a replica of Number IV in the Organization XIII, but I didn't come out as planned. I'm a fluke. Why? Besides the fact I can't talk, my original is a male! How that works, I'll never know. You're lucky, I guess, I don't even have memories to go on for feelings. All I have is knowledge.'_

Marluxia set the pad down on the table and talked to the voices in his head, "Fluke or not, she's still pretty, don't you think?"

* * *

Kori let out a small squeak on the other side of the door. The door slammed with such a force that The Chilly Academic dropped a beaker. "Ahh! Kori! You know better than that!"

Vexen had pulled out a broom for a newly summoned Dusk to sweep up the glass shards on the floor. "Now what exactly would cause you to act like that?"

Kori clasped onto Vexen's shoulders and pulled him to a darker corner of the lab. She pointed to the infirmary doors and swirled her finger around her head.

"Crazy you say?" Vexen smirked, "Well everyone in The Order has their quirks (especially that gambler) and I would doubt that the new one would be any different."

Kori pulled out her trusty blue dry-erase pen and wrote on the nearest white board, _'He's a psychopathic killer!'_

"Now, don't jump to conclusions," Vexen patted on the girl's shoulder, "He probably said that he 'felt' like killing someone. Those kinds of situations are the oft-cause for losing oneself to the Darkness."

'_NO,'_ Kori wrote out frantically, _'He __confessed to killing two people… with a __**hammer**__!'_

"Are you sure that it wasn't just the medicine talking?" Vexen read the words on the wall over and over, trying to make sense of them.

'_He said that was the reason why he lost his heart,' _Kori wrote much more calmly. _'I think one would remember that.'_

Vexen nodded solemnly. He opened a nearby drawer and pulled out a piece of paper and a pen, "Write down everything he said. I think The Superior should know about this."

Kori did as she was told and Vexen immediately read over it, his lips moving quickly with the written words he murmured. He continued reading over and over again as he walked out the door. Kori looked at the infirmary doors over her shoulder before she followed her creator.

Vexen was still reading over the page as he walked to Xemnas' quarters. He was engrossed in the page but his steps were calculated, each one intent on leading him to his destination. Vexen stopped outside Xemnas' door and latched on to the doorknob. He finished reading the paper and stuffed it in his pocket as he opened the door.

"Sir," Vexen said with confident concern, "I have an issue with II's newest pick."

"Nothing new, I see," Xemnas muttered as he put down Zexion's report. "What is it this time?"

Vexen explained the situation almost word for word of what Kori wrote down, but made Marluxia's disturbing past his own discovery. Kori kept on shooting Vexen odd looks when The Superior wasn't looking.

"A ruthless killer sounds like the perfect addition to The Order," Xemnas rubbed his temple and sighed.

"He's not ruthless!" Vexen defended his reasoning, "He's insane! Who knows what his twisted mind may convince him to do next?!"

Xemnas sighed, "You will have nothing to worry about, Number IV. Tomorrow morning, I'll take him under my wing and he won't be your problem anymore. I'll keep a close eye on him and if he shows any sort of destructive behavior, he'll be done away with. Does that please you, Number IV?"

Vexen looked quickly to Kori and then back to his Superior, "Yes, sir."

Vexen left with a slight bow and Kori with a quick curtsy. Out in the hall, Kori tapped Vexen on the shoulder and gave him an over exaggerated shrug.

"About that," Vexen scratched the side of his nose, "You see, Xemnas has a bit of paranoia. He has a hard time trusting anyone, but the first six. He knows what we look like when we lie, except for me. I've never had to lie to him before, and when I did, it was more like 'truth' but not the 'whole truth.' Get it?"

Kori nodded but shot him a questioning look. "Why?" Vexen interpreted, "Well, we both know how much he _adores_ you. He won't trust you for some time."

Kori sighed and continued walking. Vexen patted her shoulder, "If XI tries anything funny, tell me and I'll take care of him, okay?"

Kori swallowed and nodded. She took the piece of paper out of his pocket and scribbled out, _'What if he took a liking to someone? Would they be in more or less danger?'_

"I don't really know right now," Vexen stuffed the paper in his pocket.

* * *

They spent the rest of the time in the lab, Kori helping Vexen with his highly photosensitive experiments. The vials and such needed to be kept in a low light environment so the lab had to be relit with red light bulbs. Occasionally, Vexen would leave and get something for Marluxia. When ever The Academic would come back in, he would have to waste another twenty minutes for his eyes to readjust.

"I say it's time to put the experiments away and get some sleep," Vexen said with a yawn skewing the last word. "I'll get some extra pillows and blankets and you can stay in my room instead of the infirmary tonight."

Kori practically smothered him with a hug on their way out, but before the door was closed, she frantically and silently communicated with Vexen.

"Your keyboard and bow are still in the infirmary?" Vexen inferred, "Well can't you go in there and grab them?"

Kori's eyes looked straight into her creator's identical ones and gave him a look like he was crazy.

"Damn… you _are_ like me." Vexen thought aloud as he reentered the lab with her. "I'll go in and give him a quick exam (I probably need to anyway), and you can just get your stuff and wait for me."

Kori nodded as she sheepishly entered the lab behind him. Vexen said his greeting more flamboyant than usual to attract attention to himself. While Vexen was examining him, Kori took her bow and tossed it over her shoulder. She picked up her keyboard and made a swift turn to leave, but she forgot to unplug the keyboard. She stopped as soon as she started and her arm swung out, flinging her bow onto the floor.

Kori winced as the bow clattered noisily on the floor. Marluxia sat up in his bed and pushed Vexen out of his line of sight. Kori froze and looked straight at him. He gave her a quick friendly smile. She quickly broke eye contact with him and picked up her stuff, making sure to unplug the keyboard this time.

Marluxia's face was still upturned in a smile as she gathered her things again. He bore his teeth in the last few seconds before he lay back down again. That smile was still plastered on his face as Vexen examined it. Vexen's stomach turned because there was something in that smile he didn't like.

Marluxia heard the door close loudly before he spoke, "She's a pretty little thing. You do good work, even in your failures."

"What makes you think she's a failure?" Vexen snapped. He didn't like the way Marluxia talked about Kori. Not. One. Bit.

Marluxia was still smiling, "I don't. That's what she told me. I think she's absolutely perfect. But it's such a shame that she can't be mine."

"Yours?" Vexen scoffed, "She is not a thing that can be owned."

"Not like that, gramps," Marluxia finally cut his eyes around to The Academic, with that smile still there, but distanced from reality.

"What way do you mean, little boy?" Vexen sneered, leaning over Marluxia.

Marluxia's smile only grew wider, "I want her to be marked by me. My mark. That way, she'll have a physical memory. After all, that's what she wants." He motioned to the pad of paper on the bedside table.

Vexen snatched it up without looking at it. Vexen took one last look at the pink-haired man before storming out the door.

"Uh oh," Marluxia smirked as he called forth a vine. It twisted around his bed posts and the bed rails until it got to his level to deliver a single pink rose up to him. He plucked it, "Daddy's mad that his little girl has an admirer. But it'll be alright, won't it? Of course it will."

Marluxia sniffed the rose, "She's as pretty as you are my blushing friend, and she'd smell just as sweet."

* * *

"It's perfectly fine," Vexen settled down on his makeshift bed. "You can have my bed and I'll sleep on the floor."

Kori attempted to protest again, but Vexen stopped her, "It's the gentlemanly thing to do so quit arguing and get comfy!"

Kori rolled her eyes before touching the fingertips of her right hand to her lips and then bringing her hand down, palm up.

"You're welcome," Vexen smiled. Kori plugged her keyboard in and began to play.

Vexen pulled the notepad out of his pocket and read over what Kori had told the psycho in the Infirmary. Kori's playing stopped on an odd note, and Vexen saw that she rubbed her arms.

"Are you cold?" Vexen asked. His room was often colder than the rest of the castle.

Kori shook her head and turned off her keyboard. She set it down in the floor before she gave him a weak smile.

Vexen set down the note pad, "So you want memories…"

Kori nodded eagerly. Vexen pinched the bridge of his nose, "But, I can't give you my memories. Besides the whole fact that I don't have the technology right now, a good many wouldn't make any sense to you.

"But don't worry. What I'm working on now will fix that. You'll get to make your own memories, the way it was truly supposed to be."

Kori nodded and turned off the light. Vexen wished her a good night in the dark, and Kori was disappointed that she could not return the words.

* * *

A/N: Marluxia scares me… a lot… and his broken psyche comes as a byproduct of watching a documentary on why people kill while eating mango ice cream for breakfast… Hmm… I want some more now…

Nothing really left to say.

LUV's from Khaos


	4. Outside

"_Kori… Kori… Wake up…"_

Axel was shaking the girl's shoulder to wake her from her sleep. She had passed out, head down on a lab table waiting for the photosensitive substances to react in the dark lab. Axel shook her again, "Come on, kiddo. Vexen sent me back over here from Castle Oblivion to make sure you weren't doing _this_."

Kori knocked his hands away and settled even deeper into her crossed arms. Axel huffed and flipped on the desk lamp. He pushed the lamp so the bright, white light was right in Kori's closed eyes. Kori pushed the lamp out of her eyes and sat up. She rubbed her eyes and yawned.

"Geez, Kori," Axel smirked with his face lit eerily from below, "Our first night at Castle Oblivion, and you're staying up partying all night. What _are _we going to do with you?"

Kori shot Axel an indignant scowl and playfully pushed him. She propped her head in her hands and looked around her table. She slammed her hand against the clean metal when she saw the light shining right on the substances, turning it dark and syrupy.

"Whoa, what's wrong?" Axel cocked his head to one side. Kori grabbed one of the chemical containers she had been working with and pointed to the warning label.

"Caution: Reacts with light," Axel read and then saw Kori pointing to the ruined experiment. Axel scratched behind his ear, "I kinda ruined your experiment, huh?"

Kori waved it off and picked up the Erlenmeyer flask. She swirled the contents around, watching it cling to the sides and fall slowly. She slipped out of her chair and sighed. She had really put her soul into this, and now it was all for naught.

Kori walked over to the chemical sink, ready to wash out the flask. She was about to pour the contents out, but it was glowing purple. Kori looked at it, confused and curious at the same time.

"Does that mean something bad is about to happen?" Axel questioned. Kori did not even acknowledge his question. She was too busy inside her head. How did that happen?

The flask flashed a bright blue and then it faded to white. Kori examined the flask again and inside was not only her desired result, but a duplicate! Kori racked her brain on how the required result was reached without the accompanying method.

But then the light began to fade along with her results. The surrounding Darkness was consuming it. Kori rushed back over to the desk lamp, letting the light bathe over her precious result. The Darkness cringed and slunk out of the flask. The two results grew inside the flask, dancing happily in the light.

"Woah! I didn't know you could make those!" Axel marveled at Kori's experiments. Kori didn't respond; she was scribbling out the changes to the method for her creator to view.

Kori grabbed a piece of scrap paper, _'Take me to Castle Oblivion. Vexen needs to see this.'_

"But it's really late," Axel bit his lip, "I think it can wait until morning."

'_NO.'_ Kori dutifully wrote. _'This is of utmost importance.'_

Axel pinched the bridge of his nose, "He isn't going to be in the best mood."

'_By definition, he can't have a mood,'_ Kori wrote out with a smirk. _'Oh, and by the way, no one else really needs to know about this, okay?'_

"Secret is my middle name," Axel gave her one of his devil-may-care smiles. Axel opened up a portal of darkness and they quickly went through it.

* * *

They arrived just outside Vexen's makeshift lab. Axel left saying that he would be upstairs when she was ready to go back. Kori yawned as she opened the lab door.

Vexen on the other side was asleep on a lab table, much in the way Kori was a few minutes before. Kori flipped on some lights and cradled the precious flask in one arm. She shook Vexen's arm, and he woke much more willingly than she had.

"Oh," Vexen said sleepily, "Hello there Kori, what brings you here?"

Kori held up her creations with gusto. Vexen's sleepiness instantly vanished and his eyes went wide, "You've done it! The method worked!"

Kori rocked her hand back and forth in a 'yes and no' gesture. Vexen's nose wrinkled with her response, "What do you mean?"

Kori handed him the lab report. Vexen read through it, his lips muttering the words on the page. Vexen reread the additions to the method multiple times, "I—I thought that these were spawned in Darkness… not Light…"

Kori wrote on the scrap piece of paper she brought with her, _'Maybe we thought wrong because I noticed that the Darkness tried to kill them.'_

"Them…" Vexen tapped his lips with his mind racing, "How come two were made?"

Kori shrugged and wrote, _'I really wanted it to work… I poured my soul into this and when I thought they were ruined, I could tell my soul… wasn't right.'_

"That still doesn't answer why there are two…" Vexen mused to himself.

'_We're technically the same person, right?' _Kori scribbled out, _'Two people, two bodies that share the same soul.'_

"That sounds like it would work," Vexen laughed gently and placed the Erlenmeyer flask under the brightest desk lamp he had. Vexen took Kori by the shoulders, leading her out and leaning on her for support at the same time, "It's late. Let's try and get some sleep."

Kori shot Vexen a look with a sideways smile. Vexen returned the look, "Try, because I know I'm fired up about this discovery… even though it disproved everything I thought I knew…"

Kori saw that Vexen's face turned solemn on the last few words. Vexen saw Kori's concern, "But I would be glad because of that."

Vexen urged her to stay there for the night. Kori told him in writing that she would end up keeping Axel up all night then and left for the upstairs.

Unluckily, she was on the lowest floor of the basement so every floor was upstairs. Kori was not discouraged with her feet light with her accomplishment. She walked up endless stairs intent on finding Axel.

* * *

Somewhere on the basement's eighth floor, Kori froze when she saw that she was not alone. Marluxia had already spotted her and was rushing over.

"Hi Kori," he smiled. "What brings you here so late?"

Kori patted her pockets looking for a pad of paper. She looked at him with pleading eyes. He smiled even wider, "No need to write. I'll talk enough for both of us."

Kori smiled weakly, she pointed at him and shrugged. Marluxia cocked his head to the side trying to decipher her message.

"Oh!" Marluxia snapped his fingers as he figured it out, "Why am I up so late roaming the castle? You see, I'm a bit of an insomniac. I'll end up walking around for hours and never get tired."

Kori nodded and yawned. "Hey!" Marluxia's eyes lit up and he grabbed Kori's hands. He clasped her long hands in his, "Do you wanna see my garden? It's really beautiful."

Kori didn't have a choice because Marluxia was already pushing her through a corridor of darkness.

* * *

The other side was as bright as day, trees stretching high in the special room. Grass was clean cut and rose bushes grew in plenty. Vines draped from branches lazily as water flowed from rocks high above. The uneven stones beneath her feet trailed through the garden and on a bridge overlooking a pond, blue tulips lining the edges. Kori's jaw dropped and she looked around in awe, forgetting her sense of worry.

"You can really lose track of time in here," Marluxia finally spoke. "The light is artificial, but the plants don't know that. The plants grow all the same."

Kori nodded, taking in the floral aromas. Marluxia smiled and took a chunk of Kori's hair in his gloved hand. He breathed in her sweet aroma, obviously pleased.

Kori felt the tugging on her hair and smacked Marluxia's hand away. She shot him a mean glare, but he didn't lose his smile.

"Will you be mine?" Marluxia asked softly.

Kori's eyebrows furrowed as she shook her head violently; that sort of promise got his former lover killed.

"Aww, come on, Kori," Marluxia stroked the side of Kori's face and he was smacked away again. "Hearts or not, we can make a promise, can't we?"

Kori pushed Marluxia away from her, while looking desperately for a way out. Kori's face was caught by him again. Marluxia was pulling her face closer to his, with his eyes closed.

Their lips barely touched when Kori put all her strength in a punch aimed for Marluxia's face. She ended up slightly tapping his cheek, for a vine caught her at the wrist. She turned her cheek away from him and froze the vine quickly. It broke like it was made of glass.

Another vine shot out and tried to twist around her waist. She froze and broke that vine in a similar manner, but not before thorns shredded the skin through her robe.

Kori was smothered in a Herculean task: for every vine done away with three more took its place. She ignored her body's demands for panic, and went into a state of deep concentration.

Ice covered her skin in seconds, and Kori's body was emitting a temperature close to absolute zero. The vines froze on contact and so would Marluxia if he was stupid enough to touch her right now. Ice crystals fell like snow from her skin as she took her time to find a way out.

A door! Or at least Kori thought it was a door. It looked like one and that was enough of a chance for Kori. She started sprinting to her saving grace.

Unfortunately, running heats up the runner. That's just simple science. Kori lost her protective shield and the vines tried to catch her. They couldn't thanks to Kori's nimble feet.

She was calculating her strides to the door; it was just in her nature. Two more to the path and then five to the door. One more to the rocky path and---

Kori's feet were pulled out from under her by a shooting vine. Her feet stayed one stride away whilst her head went plummeting to the rocks below.

Kori saw a flash of light and felt a searing pain over her right eye. The ground under her, the crumpled blue tulips, and the vines twisting around her wrists and ankles felt so distant compared to the pain.

The vines gently lifted her up and turned her onto her back. Kori twisted her head back and forth trying to stay awake. She gently touched the source of the throbbing pain. Through bleary eyes she saw blood dripping from her fingertips. Her wrist was pulled back down by a vine and Kori didn't fight it.

Marluxia came slowly to her, like a lion stalking its prey. His gloves were gone and his cloak was unzipped. Kori knew she should get up and run, but the pain wouldn't let her do anything more than twist and writhe in its wake.

Marluxia said something to Kori, but her damaged mind wouldn't let her understand.

* * *

Vexen was rudely awoken by a very concerned Zexion. The Schemer was shining a pen light into The Academic's eyes.

"Ow! Whoa, whoa," Vexen shut his eyes tight and pushed the light away. "What do you think you were doing?"

Zexion tapped his nose, "I thought you were hurt…"

"A dream," Vexen reasoned, squinting in the dark, "How badly was I injured?"

"Stage two concussion," Zexion frowned, "and there was a lot of blood."

"Incredibly specific for a dream," Vexen pondered aloud.

The two jumped when they heard a crash coming from the lab. They looked at each other before rushing for the intruder.

The intruder was Kori, who had run into a lab table causing glassware to fall off the other side. Kori lay motionless on the lab floor.

Vexen called out to her and rushed to her side. He cradled her and placed her gingerly on the nearest stretcher. Vexen rushed off to the other side of the lab, muttering off a checklist of what he needed.

Zexion stood over Kori, looking over her wounds. Her cloak was torn and had thorns and leaves stuck in it. Zexion smirked and laughed as he examined her eyes with his trusty pen light, "What'd you do? Get in a fight with an overgrown rose bush?"

Kori would not like that joke if she could understand it. Her mind was clouded and scarred. She twisted around, away from the light.

Zexion's smile faded when he saw her bare legs smeared with blood. The streaks faded down her legs, and the dark, sticky drops were readjusting to the new source of gravity. Zexion took note that most of the lacerations on her legs were close to her ankles, and bit his lip when he saw the distinctive wound on her neck.

"So what happened?" Vexen asked, setting down his supplies. Zexion gently pushed Kori's face to the side so his colleague could get a better view of the wound. The large thorns were still stuck in the long gashes of the bleeding 'XI' in her neck.

Vexen dropped the tweezers he held and gasped. His face twisted into a memory of anger, "That bastard! I'm gonna make him regret for ever touching her!"

Vexen summoned his shield and attempted to race out. Zexion caught him by the sleeve. "Vexen! Vexen!" Zexion cried out, but Vexen wouldn't listen, "Even!"

Vexen froze at the use of his true name. He spun around and knocked away his colleague's hand, but stayed still to listen.

"I know that neophyte probably deserves what's coming to him," Zexion reasoned, "but Kori needs you more now. She's hurt and confused. She needs someone to patch her up and tell her everything's gonna be okay, even if it is a lie."

Vexen sighed, his glance darting from Zexion to Kori and back again. He dismissed his shield and took up a new pair of tweezers. He got to work taking out the thorns and bandaging the torn skin. Zexion merely stood aside and held a container for the bloody thorns.

* * *

Time passed. Stitches were sewn. Gauze and bandages were secured. Kori was given new clothes, not a standard Organization cloak, but instead an old t-shirt of Lexaeus' they had found.

Vexen was making sure her brain would be fine when Axel entered the lab. He was clearly tired and irritable, "Where's Kori? She was supposed to come and get me, but now I've been up all— What happened to her?"

Vexen shot him a glare, and Zexion took Axel to the side, explaining what Marluxia had done to her. Axel reacted similarly to Vexen, but he was more confused, "She was just a kid… why?"

"I'd like to say that she may be, technically, only a few months old," Zexion corrected Number VIII, "but she has the physiology of a twenty year old, much like you or I. Except only female."

Axel shook his head and stormed out of the lab. He wouldn't even wish this upon The Nymph upstairs. Why would this happen to someone as sweet as Kori?

Axel decided to take matters into his own hands.

* * *

He pulled Marluxia out of his bed, chakrams at the ready, "What the fuck is wrong with you?!"

Marluxia was in a stunned state, "What are you talking about?"

"You know damn well what I'm talking about!" Axel pushed Marluxia into the nearest wall.

"Kori?" Marluxia acted innocent.

Axel slammed his chakrams into the wall, too close to Marluxia's ears, "Fuck straight!"

"As opposed to what? Sideways?" Marluxia smirked, for he was traveling the thread between consciousness and sleep.

Axel roared and slammed his empty fist into The Assassin's cheek, sending blood and spit onto the wall. He punched again and again, until his adrenaline was spent. Marluxia never lost that smirk.

"Now don't you forget this, you fucking idiot," Axel hissed inches from Marluxia's face, "If I find that you even look at her funny ever again, you will be lacking many vital organs. Understand?"

"Understood," Marluxia's smirk turned into a full smile. He was rewarded with Axel's fist once again slamming into his face. Axel dropped him and pulled his chakrams out of the walls. Axel left Marluxia, who was laughing maniacally, in a swirl of Darkness.

* * *

"Is she gonna be okay?" Zexion finally asked in the lab. He threw away the last of the spent supplies. Kori had to be more stable now because she was sitting up.

Vexen sighed, "Medically, yes. I can't help with anything else."

"Yes you can," Zexion rubbed his eyes. It had been a long night by any means.

Vexen looked to Kori, who looked tired, but too scared to sleep. Vexen pitied her; the full reality had finally set in for her.

Vexen held her close, stoking her hair, and trying to comfort her the best he, as a Nobody, could. He heard his alarm clock go off in his room, which was set to go off at five o' clock sharp. Vexen sighed and held the girl close, "Let's try to sleep, and try our best to forget this night…"

* * *

A/N: What the hell, Marluxia?! You raped Vexen's clone!

Now for some actual notes. Blue tulips? Yeah, they don't exist. It's just one of my weird jokes that maybe two people would get. (And no, not _you_ two)

Wondering what Kori made in the lab? Too bad, you won't find out now.

Why did Zexion think Vexen was hurt, when it really was Kori? She's his _replica_! If you got that without me having to point it out, good for you.

Axel's part? I had fun writing his pissed off part, because I'm kinda pissed today. Mainly because I wanted to publish this earlier, but the creepy exterminator showed up today and I had to cook dinner right after that. After that, I had to do my Chemistry homework (Head/desk). The only time I wasn't doing something tonight was when NUMB3RS came on. I'm a Charlie Eppes whore so nothing is going to interrupt my show. Nothing! Now I'm up this late finishing up so I'm just setting this whole weekend up for sleep deprivation… Woe be unto those around me.

Welp, its storming outside so I better finish up.

LUV's from Khaos

(11/14/08 11:25 p.m.)


	5. Grey Street

"_There's an emptiness inside her_

_And she'd do anything to fill it in…"_

* * *

Xemnas was walking the halls of his castle; he needed a place for his mind to wander carelessly. News of Marluxia's attack had spread like wildfire through the castle. Most didn't like it, though Number XII (of all Nobodies) took a liking to Marluxia because of what he did. He earned her loyalty with the vulgar act.

Vexen, Demyx, Xigbar, Axel, Zexion, and even Lexaeus were pining for the Superior to kick Marluxia out, or upon Vexen's suggestion, turn him into a Dusk. Xemnas reminded them that it would require a unanimous vote amongst the others, and they weren't going to get it thanks to the lightning witch.

Vexen knew Xemnas too well, however. This was a lie set up by their Superior to justify keeping a madman around. Vexen could have stood there and argued, but he would just be running in circles.

Xemnas rubbed his eyes, dismissing his paranoia. He was put against the replica that wasn't supposed to exist, or the excellent fighter… who in hindsight wasn't supposed to exist either.

_Stop it… you came on this walk to stop thinking…_ Xemnas thought while turning down the dormitory halls.

He saw Number IX sitting outside Vexen's door, playing a tune on his sitar that made the stream of water in front of him dance. The boy was guarding the door, while the replica stayed inside.

"How is it?" Xemnas spoke to the boy, who was lost in concentration.

Demyx jumped and the water splashed on the floor. His gaze shot from the water to his Superior as he jumped to attention. "She seems to be fine, though she hasn't done anything but eat and sleep."

"What is it doing in there?" Xemnas asked, almost to himself.

"She's just staring out Vexen's window," Demyx said shakily. "Well she was until she shot an arrow at me…"

"What? Did it hit you?" Xemnas raised his eyebrow calmly.

Demyx turned to the side and showed his Superior the hole in his cloak, "I learned the hard way not to meddle in the affairs of the archer, for I apparently make a great moving target."

Xemnas took note of the hole in his cloak, and the scar under his skin, "When did this happen?"

"Earlier today," Demyx said flatly.

Xemnas cocked his head to the side, "But it's already healed. How can that be?"

Demyx smirked, "I'd like to remind you, sir, that the body is made up of at least sixty percent water, and the blood is about eighty-three percent water."

Xemnas joined Demyx's smirk. He was a clever boy to use his element like that; more clever than the other's would give him credit for.

Xemnas' smirk dropped when he remembered the reason why Number IX was hurt, "Damn thing… I told Vexen to destroy it. Then I even say that she could aid him… She's of no use now…"

"Hey!" Demyx perked up, "You called Kori a 'she' instead of 'thing' or 'it' that time!"

"Slip of the tongue." Xemnas quickly dismissed his mistake, "Get out of here for a while."

"But Vexen told me to stay here," Demyx stammered. "You're not going to destroy her after I leave, are you?"

"What does it matter?" Xemnas sneered, clearly annoyed that his order was being questioned.

"Kori is my friend, sir," Demyx stood tall, "whether she's a replica, a Nobody, or even a Somebody, and I can't let you hurt her."

"This 'friend' attacked you with an arrow," Xemnas raised his voice. "She's a threat to us all."

"She's scared, sir." Demyx lowered his head, "I don't blame her for attacking anything that moves."

Xemnas stayed there for a moment, clenching his fists and letting go again. He breathed calmly, thinking that the replica was like an animal: back it into a corner and it'll fight. "Alright," He said, "I'll move along, and you can stay here in the security that I will not try to destroy her. Understand?"

"Yes sir, Superior," Demyx gave Xemnas a valiant salute as the Superior walked away.

Xemnas shook his head, cursing himself for not destroying her that first night. She had become too much trouble to deal with.

* * *

Kori sat still in the room, a blanket draped across her shoulders and her bow in her hands. She was waiting for anyone stupid enough to open the door. She sat there in silence, not even daring to think. She didn't want to; her mind would always drift to memories she never wanted.

Thunder roared and Kori's eyes darted to the window. The rain was falling hard, each drop hitting the window with a muddled thud. Lighting flashed and thunder boomed once again. Kori stood and walked to the window to watch the rain.

She lost her interest quickly, but caught her reflection in the glass. The gash over her eye was healing nicely, and the 'XI' engraved into her skin was covered with gauze. She started tearing at the wrappings, slowly as not to tear the wound open. Sure this hurt, but Kori really didn't mind.

Kori examined the wound again, staring into it like it could disappear if she thought hard enough. The lightning flashed again, and Kori saw the blood dripping from the end of the 'I'. Kori wiped it away on her sleeve, smearing the blood at an angle. She smirked because the XI looked more like XV now.

Then it clicked. Kori dabbed her finger in the beading blood and drew 'III' beside it on her neck. It was an eighteen now, the same number as her broken incubator.

She turned away from the window and started rummaging through Vexen's desk. She pulled out more gauze, tape, a suture needle and wire just in case. She continued to rummage through the drawers, hoping she wouldn't have to leave the room.

* * *

Vexen was grumbling with wires in his mouth. He pulled one of Larxene's kunai out of the security keypad and tossed it aside. He pulled out his screwdriver and dismantled the melted plastic.

The keypad sparked and hissed and then fizzled out in a puff of smoke. Vexen sighed and continued his work, anything to stop thinking about Kori. He wondered how she was doing, but he dared not to enter that room, especially with Demyx's multiple arrow wounds. He smirked, knowing that she didn't completely lose herself. She toughened up and became a fighter instead of letting fate screw with her head. Good for her.

Vexen pulled out his soldering iron and prepared some metal to add to the wires. He twisted some wired together to get them prepared.

Vexen carefully added the extra metal and let it melt. He was fixing what he could here, whilst he would have to completely replace the circuit board.

Vexen felt a hand grip around his mouth, the other hand pulling him away by his waist. A voice hissed, "Don't try running this time, and things will be a lot better."

Vexen pressed the hot soldering iron to his attacker's hand. The attacker yelped and drew away. Vexen spun on his heel, summoning his shield.

Vexen saw Marluxia nursing his hand, but his eyes went wide, "You're not Kori!"

"No, really?" Vexen hissed, "I never thought we were all that different."

"Where is she?" Marluxia was taking a long look at his hand.

Vexen dismissed his shield, "Somewhere far away from here, and you."

Marluxia rolled his eyes, "I wanted to apologize to—"

"Is that what you called apologizing?" Vexen scoffed, "Yeah, nothing says I'm sorry like raping somebody or even killing them…"

Marluxia opened a portal of Darkness and entered it. Vexen was tempted to follow him and make sure he didn't walk right for the next few days, but no one that mattered would believe that Marluxia attacked him first.

* * *

Marluxia exited his portal on the other side. The searing pain in his hand was combined with a shooting pain in his leg. He looked down and saw the ice arrow protruding from his thigh, blood dripping.

Another arrow whizzed by his head and he felt the air on his cheek. He finally looked up and saw Kori, her bow poised for another attack.

"I just wanted to… talk…" Marluxia lied. She shot another arrow, this time into Marluxia's gut. But did he leave? No.

Marluxia hissed and teleported behind Kori. He grabbed her neck, but his hand slipped away. He took a good long look at it, with the black fabric soaked with blood.

Kori spun around and her wound was revealed. She had added on to Marluxia's mark with a sharp scalpel the marks of her own.

"What have you done?" Marluxia hissed, "That made you mine. Now… Now you're no one's, you fool!"

Kori shook her head and pointed to herself. Marluxia got the message that no one could own her. She was her own keeper.

"Have it that way." Marluxia broke off the arrow in his leg, "But when I get this Organization under my thumb, no one can stop me. Especially not your 'friends'."

Kori let another arrow fly, aimed for Marluxia's head. He teleported too quickly and her arrow slammed into the door.

* * *

Demyx heard the thump on the door he sat against, and backed away. He looked up and saw an arrow sticking out of the other side.

"Yo," Axel came walking up the hall, "How is she?"

"I think she's trying to kill a fly with her bow…" Demyx warned.

Axel knocked gently on the door, "Hey, Kori. I'm not gonna come in or anything, I just wanted to talk, okay? Can you hear me?"

Kori rolled her eyes as she wrapped the spare gauze around her neck. The blood was already seeping through.

"Kori?" Axel sounded worried, "Do something so I know you're okay!"

Kori stood, taping up her bandaging, and tapped on the door.

"Good." Axel sighed, "Hell's gonna break loose at Castle Oblivion, and there are gonna be a good few caught in the crossfire. Marluxia is gonna be one of them if I have my way.

"The Keyblader has shown up and has started figuring out how the castle works. Turns out his friend has shown up, too. Vexen is going to try and use his perfected replication process on the friend. It seems like it's working, too."

Kori refused to listen any more. She shot another arrow into the door. Axel was apparently offended, "I'm trying to warn you! Just because one stupid guy screws up your life, it doesn't mean that we all want to!"

Demyx tugged at Axel's cloak, "She's not sure who she can trust. In her place, would you?"

Axel thought for a moment and went storming down the hall. He was going to get one person she could trust. Or at least, the one she thought she trusted.

* * *

Kori heard the door open and held her bow at the ready. The door opened and Vexen walked through the door, carrying a white box under his arm. Vexen cowered and pressed himself against the door. Kori moved her aim slightly, and let the ice arrow fly.

Vexen cringed as a chunk of his hair fell to the floor. It wasn't his hair though, because it turned to slate when it hit the floor.

"Now what was that for?" Zexion dropped his charade and revealed himself, "I thought you'd actually trust him."

Kori held her bow at the ready, another arrow poised for an attack.

Zexion sighed and nodded, "I don't blame you for not trusting anybody. How about this, I'll stay right here, and you can come closer if you want. But Vexen sent me over with a message. One you needed to hear."

Kori lowered her bow, and listened. Zexion shook his head, "I told him that it was suicide. He shouldn't have revealed that Riku Replica to the others. He shouldn't have made that locked memory card.

"He has done some stuff to pull Marluxia's plan out from under his feet. What he's done will get him in deep trouble, along with Lexaeus and I. After we've… we're gone, no one's gonna be around to protect you."

Kori dropped her bow completely, wanting to reply and ask what he meant.

Zexion continued holding up an envelope, "Vexen wrote you a note and told me to tell you that you need to take the contents of this box and run. Run away from the Organization, this world, everything. It's going to be for your own good."

Zexion left the box on the floor and set the envelope on top of it. He opened the door and left with a wave and a nod.

Kori opened the envelope and a small snowflake necklace fell out. It was silver and dainty, and made Kori smile. She looked at the engraving on the back; "Daughter," it read.

The note was written hastily and in blue ink,

'_Kori,_

_I'm sorry. Everything that's happened to you was a mistake, but YOU'RE not a mistake, got it? Take this and get out of here, make something of yourself, make your own memories._

_Be careful and keep safe, _

_Vexen_

_P.S. This is one that you made. Don't worry. That other one didn't go to waste.'_

Kori latched the necklace around her neck, vowing to never take it off. She ripped open the box and saw an Erlenmeyer flask, glowing white with her creation inside of it.

It was her heart. A copy of Vexen's (or was it Even's?) heart, made from a replicated soul.

She broke the glass, and caught the heart in her hand. She picked up her bow and made a reserve of arrows. She was leaving, even if she had to fight her way out. Her heart, now beating in her chest, was telling her that this was the right thing to do.

* * *

"_And though it's red blood bleeding from her now_

_It's more like cold blue ice in her heart._

_She feels like kicking out all the windows _

_And setting fire to this life._

_She could change everything about her using colors bold and bright._

_But all the colors mix together - to grey,_

_And it breaks her heart."_

_~Grey Street_

_Dave Matthews Band_

* * *

A/N: I've been on a DMB binge so here we have a chapter inspired by that song.

Khaos


	6. FinaleReprise

The lanky man opened the door to the small on campus café, and shut it quickly. He didn't mind the snow swirling outside, but some of the others might have. He slid off his backpack and his coat at his usual table. He gave a quick nod to the barista, a short little fellow who had brown hair that would fall in his eyes behind his glasses, who immediately began to make the regular's coffee.

The lanky man adjusted his flat cap sitting atop his messy and graying hair and walked to the darkening window. He viewed a large man with short cropped auburn hair he called his friend playing chess with himself. He was working out the final kinks in his flawless chess strategy. The older suggested with a firm pat on the other's shoulders, "Knight to H3 and you've got it."

The muscular man looked to the older and back to his game. He performed the suggested move and he had the white king in his grasp. He beamed and thanked the older man.

The older man dismissed himself and returned to his table, which had a cup of black coffee with two sugars in it. He didn't care for the cream or syrups that seemed to be all the rage lately. He knew that the short man's coffee was well enough without major additions.

Then the door opened, and did not shut for some time, letting the warm air in the cafe seep out. People dashed in and out, carrying all sorts of things in black boxes. They had the entrance practically blocked when she entered. She was wearing a white sundress that faded to blue and her long blond hair up in a ponytail, and with a slight curl at the ends. One of the men quickly draped his coat around her, as to prevent their star from getting a cold.

The old man stared at the girl as she walked to the back of the store, the sundress flowing behind her and the coat falling off her shoulders. The man tried to see anything of importance, but his tired eyes couldn't see as well.

He talked to the barista, who explained that they would be playing tonight for a charity. The man looked at his watch, as if the clocks on the wall weren't accurate enough, and saw that he could stay, only to prove (or disprove) his thoughts.

The band set up on stage, doing tests and such as curious people stopped their conversations to watch. The musicians felt the eyes watching them.

Then the girl sat down at the piano, playing through scales and chord progressions. As the audience applauded her practice, she shook her head. The others were far from ready, so the girl played "Entertainer" for the waiting audience.

She had played through "Entertainer" and even "Green Sleeves" before a boy, presumably the band's lead singer, took the microphone and explained what they were doing there.

The man didn't listen to what he said, but watched the girl instead. She took down her hair, letting it fall over her shoulders as she went through a silent practice of the songs.

The boy announced their first song of the night and made a nod to the others. They all were ready and began to play. The man watched as the pretty boy sang pretty words that he thought what the notes meant. The only one who knew what was meant by the intricate notes and chords was the one who wrote them: the girl.

She hammered out the chords as the boy sang, the drummer drummed, and the bassist played. If one were to take the singer out of the equation, the main focus would have to be the pianist.

The song ended and the man proved himself right. The crowd applauded and the band began again.

* * *

Time passed, songs played, the crowd dispersed. The band decided to call it a night. The singing boy said a few things with a scowl to the pianist. He then turned away from her and began to pack up.

The man saw his chance. He stood from his chair, cautiously as to avoid attention. The man walked cautiously to the stage, wondering if she would answer. He hopped up on the raised platform with a little jump and stopped right beside the piano.

The girl looked him over cautiously, and was caught at his eyes. The man coughed and returned the stare like a mirror, "Kori?"

The girl cocked her head to one side and began to examine him, not for danger this time, but for recognition. His eyes...

The girl smiled wildly and flung her self at him. Her blonde hair covered his face in a veil. He hugged her back, "I wouldn't think you would have remembered me."

Kori smiled and dragged him off stage. She sat him down and looked him over again. He sighed, "I have changed a lot, huh? I'm still thin and tall, but the years are showing even more now. I got rid of anything I could that anyone else could recognize me with. You... You are an exception however. It's kinda hard to not recognize the person with the same soul, huh?"

Kori nodded and changed her face to a confused expression, shrugging her shoulders for effect. "How?" He interpreted, "Well, I'm not that stupid, am I?" Kori pretended to think about it. "Give me a little credit please!" He laughed, "After I had my plan formulated and percolating, I realized my flaw. I would put myself in the cross hairs of more than one member of the Organization, and I would have pulled Zexion and Lexaeus down with me.

"I had perfected the replication process with that Riku Replica, so why not give my own replication a go again? I started my trials at Twenty-One, as to preserve your rank. I made a good few 'Vexen' replicas, each able to effectively emulate my personality. So after, _He _pointed the business end of his scythe at me that one time, I knew it was time to get the hell out of Dodge.

"But Zexion and Lexaeus were Vexen's friends, you see, so I couldn't leave them behind. I made a replica of them, too. And we all left."

The man sighed and Kori wrote something down on a napkin, _'What happened after that?'_

"With your help, I suppose," He laughed, "we went back to the labs we had worked in before this whole mess happened. We created hearts, just like the ones you made. I had kept one of the ones you made for my own, but the other two needed them. What was really curious is that when they made their hearts, there weren't any duplicates. Whether if the replicas had already died or if they never had souls at all is still a mystery. We used the artificial hearts to become whole again."

_'What are your names now?_' Kori scrawled out.

"Even," he said. He pointed to the barista, "Ienzo." He then pointed to the muscular man who was readying his chess board for another game, "Aeleus."

Kori couldn't help but gasp when she saw them. She had seen them before, but couldn't recognize them. _'What have you all been doing?'_

"Ienzo over there owns this cafe, which really isn't much of a surprise. He always would brew the best coffee, before and after we lost our hearts the first time." Even explained. "Aeleus is spending his time mostly at the community center, says he no longer wants to be a part of any science."

Kori pointed at him. Even sighed, "I used to work at a big company, before I became an apprentice under my former master. Everyone I knew was gone, for some reason. I didn't mind that the... two crazier of the three died, but the other one was wrongfully murdered... I didn't have a place there so I've decided to go back to school for a teaching degree."

Kori mock applauded, and Even asked, "What have you done since then?"

Kori began scribbling occasionally scratching at the scars on her neck, _'I didn't have any drive, shall I say, for the sciences once I left that hell hole. I plunged myself into music, and even applications of music theory. I had been playing for the college's TALENT program, when those jokers found me. They needed someone who knew what they were doing, and I appeared. We've just gotten to where we can play coherently, amateurs...'_

"Sounds like you're not too happy about your current situation," Even commented.

Kori did a so-so gesture with her hands, and scribbled out, _'Now what?' _

"Good Question." Even replied with a scratch to his nose.

* * *

A/N: Yay epilogue! Now let's have some notes... If I could...

Welp, I really think Vexen is still alive. My theory is as follows: Vexen perfected his Repliku and started to think, "Hey since I'm trying to prove Marluxia wrong, I'll end up with a giant bull's eye on my head! I might want to have some... decoys (Insert evil laughter here)"

Zexion and Lexaeus hear Vexen's evil laugh (Who can't?) and want to know what's going on. Those two think it's a pretty good idea and order up a couple replicas of their own. They send out their replicas and to prevent screwing it up, they run off and leave. Their replicas die and they get off scot-free. Vexen, who can't leave well enough alone, sends out a couple more of his replicas for the lulz, and one of them ends up killing Xaldin in manga-world.

Why? Vexen isn't all that stupid. Mad, maybe... but not stupid. The hearts? In my little world... yes. Just smile and nod and you'll be okay.

What else... This whole chapter was written in under an hour on a dinky little thing called Write or Die. Google it and it's by a guy who's known as Dr. Wicked. Try Kamikaze mode, Evil grace period and whatever you want for time and word limits. Yeah, Kamikaze mode is terrifying, while normal mode is funny and gentle mode isn't enough to get me writing. This is good if you don't have to pull up an outline to see what you're doing by the way. Just try it with what ever crosses your mind and it can be pretty fun.

It's late and I need sleep

LUV's from Khaos, The Heroine of the Hopeless


End file.
